Good source for film and stuff in Albuquerque?

I'm going to be travelling to Santa Fe via Albuquerque next week and

would like to pick up some 120 and 35mm film along the way.

 

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Just wondering if there are any good shops in the area(s).

I have been to Abq numerous times. There are 2 good camera stores that

have a good selection of film.

1. Kurts camera corral

2. A large camera store (I can't remember the name). It is located on

Monte Vista near Central Ave.

Look them up in the yellow pages when you get there or use the yahoo

yellow pages.

Have a good trip,

Rick

The one on Monte Vista off Central is Camera and Darkroom which also

has a store in Santa Fe.

just my two cents, but avoid Kurt's Kamera Korral! I have lived in ABQ

and now SF, and Kurts is NOT the best place to buy film. Check out

Camera and Darkroom (ABQ and SF) on the corner of Central and Monte

Vista. Prices are HIGH!, but talk to Al or Stephen; they have the

authority to discount film prices.

 

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BTW, the Santa Fe stores have a poor selection of film, but they have

lots of Agfa which is what I use....in Santa Fe, go to the Galisteo

store...the one on Cerillos has a very limited inventory.

Would anyone care to update this. I will be in Albuquerque in may this

year

I bought a bunch of film at the Camera and Darkroom store in Albuquerque (corner of Central and Monte Vista). I don't remember the prices but I do remember they had a nice selection in the big fridge.

1. Kurt's on Central has a lot of equipment and film. They refuse to discount anything except to regular, steady, commercial accounts.

 

2. Camera and Darkroom (used to be KLR Photographics, and we all still miss Ruth), was purchased by an employee of Kurt's (ART) and so he got all of his training from Kurts. Camera and Darkroom is about 3 blocks further west, just off Central at the triangle (intersection of Girard, Central, and Monte Vista). There's a cute little police station on the triangle that used to be a diner and C&D is just across Monte Vista in a small shopping center.

 

Sometimes Art will discount, most of the time he won't. If you deal with industrial sales, around the corner from the store on Dartmouth, you can sometimes convince them to discount items. Camera and Darkroom in Santa Fe used to be owned by Grant Kalivoda and was a great place to deal when Grant was there. Now that Art owns it and it is part of the Evil Empire, things have changed and you probably won't get a discount.

 

3. Camera Works. Camera Works is run by a renegade ex-employee of C&D who got fed up with the BS. It is located further west of the triangle down by the University of New Mexico just off of Central on Cornell. If you are travelling west on Central you will be in front of the University, the Frontier restaurant will be on the south side of Central at the corner of Central and Cornell. You can only turn south. Camera Works is on the west side of Cornell and there is a parking lot on the north side of the building. Ask for Mike Mcdonald he usually has a good stock of film and will discount it if you tell him you are a working pro and/or buy a quantity. If you know you are going to need something special, call him and make arrangements to have the film in stock & he will hold it for you. His phone is 505-255-4870.

 

4. Central Photographic. Even further west on Central (are you noticing a theme here?), has a lot of used equipment. Stefan Cooper owns it, prices everything very high, gives his employees no latitude to "dicker," and is basically out to make at least 200-300 percent (minimum) on all items. No film. Used equipment only.

 

That's all the info I can give you. My advice. Buy all the film you think you'll need & bring it with you.

Always getting great service from Camera and Darkroom on Central, including great student discounts for photo students. Nice folks at the NE Heights Kurt's on Juan Tabo; I get my paper from them for the same price I used to order it from BHPhoto (which beats all online stores for service and speed!!!). But I rather support a local store anyway I can. Back to Kurt's: I do not recommend them for equipment because they are just way too overpriced: $128.00 flash from an online store is over $400.00 at Kurt's!!! Finally, the best place to take your pictures to develop is Albuquerque Color Lab on the corner of San Mateo and Comanche: THESE FOLKS ARE FANTASTIC! The nicest and the most professional people you will ever encounter! They are somewhat more expensive (few bucks) than Wal-Mart or Target, but you will never have any problems with your pictures.

Just would like to add a few things for 2007.

Kurt's - they don't keep much 4x5 in stock, but usually have something. Better luck with 120 in both Fuji and Kodak. They keep it refrigerated, but check expiration dates for less popular types of film if it's important to you. They don't discount film unless you buy a brick and ASK about a brick discount. For equipment, digital has little markup, probably won't help to even ask about discount or price matching. Other high dollar items, sometimes the manager will dicker.

At this time, Camera and Darkroom is still two blocks down on Central, but I hear they may move around the corner.... Just in case you're in the area in the future and can't find them.

Stefan was mentioned in the thread also, and he's only online now.

It is not for the equipment, but have anyone heard of or know anything about Carl's darkroom for film development?

<p>I WOULD DIE before EVER going into EITHER Kurts OR Camera & Darkroom AGAIN! TERRIBLE customer service, ARROGANT sales people that just like to tell you how much they know, acting as if you know nothing, scoffing at you (I am a professional portrait, wedding, and commercial photographer, and a tech-geek/gear freak... I think I know my gear). They charge WAY too much for EVERYTHING, and the final turn off? "What's your return policy?" Answer "If you return it within 7 days you get store credit." WHAT!? They will NOT give you your money back EVER. Ridiculous. I wish they would just go out of business. Support local businesses? What for? They're terrible! Now if they were nice and offered respectable customer service, I would be more than happy to pay a bit more for it. (I worked in retail for many years, and my customers always loved coming back). My experience is with the Kurts on Central and C&D right off of central, like two blocks south of kurts. I honestly can't imagine how they stay in business. I buy most of my gear at trade shows like Imaging USA (PPA), WPPI (Rangefinder/Aftercapture), PhotoPlus Expo (PDN), etc. Also B&H, Adorama, or Dury's in Nashville.</p>

<p>I second Chris's sentiment . I just went by the Kurt's on Juan Tabo the other day. The young girl behind the counter was nice enough, after a few minutes , but the other chick was so snooty she stood five feet from me but would only answer "through" the gal behind the counter. I asked about a particular film they did not have, I then asked if they had it downtown at the main store. Miss snooty gave her the "NO" head shake . I asked the counter gal if anyone in the state had it and miss snooty squeeked quietly "I doubt it". I asked if they could possibly order a block of it for me again miss snooty ansewred through counter gal "no" with a scoff !! She was just right there a few feet away but she felt she was to good to answer me directly. The funny part was counter girl called down to the main store and they DID have it !!! Ha Ha HA , I made it a point to say loud enough for miss snooty to hear me say " They Do have it " !! Now if the other store has it, why could they not order it for a customer? Miss Snooty was so mad she went around back with a scoff. She was mad that counter girl had called, I guess she thought she had the last word on all request. The first time I went in Miss Snooty and some old fart was there , old fart was like the most pompous ass you ever met and miss Snooty would hardly give me the time of day , she got me the film I wanted and took my money and never even spoke ONE word, not even a thank you , good bye, Nada ! It is no wonder that the place is empty every time I drive by. Customer service does not exist at Kurt's Kamera Korral . They have their noses so high that if they walked outside in the rain they would drown, that's right , just like turkeys! How do they expect to move their over priced crap if they do not at least treat the customer with a grain of respect. For sure none of these employees have ever had to run a business themselves and I bet they get mad when they are treated the same way when they go to spend their money. I would suggest to anyone coming to New Mexico to bring plenty of film and anything else they need. Also you may want to double up on your insurance and bring a gun because this is the land of the Drunk Driver with some topping 20 or more arrest with hardly a day in jail and gang bangers are treated like miss-guided youth! Val Kilmer is right this IS the homicide capitol of the SW.</p>

<p>This is an older thread, but for anyone researching the subject, Kurt's Camera Corral closed both of its locations in January, 2016. Camera & Darkroom is now located at Washington & Menaul, and AP-T Camera Repair is also nearby on Menaul. Picture Perfect at Menaul & Juan Tabo does film processing.</p> Edited February 8, 2017 by m42dave